The Fringe Wars

2.13

Caged Power

Reyne massaged his face, trying to make the cloned skin over his real skin tingle less.

"Itches, doesn't it?" Critch asked. "It eventually quits feeling like bugs crawling on you and more like bugs just sitting on you. Give it a day or so."

Reyne frowned at him. "This mission will be over in six hours."

Critch shrugged.

"We're approaching the entrance and no drones have come alive yet," Boden announced from the front seat of their repainted hovercraft. "Seda was right about the CUF logo serving as a free pass."

When a door in the side of the building opened, allowing them to drive inside, Reyne tapped his comm. "Seda, we're heading inside. We'll notify you once we're in position. Keep your eyes and ears open out there and be ready with the transports."

"Copy that," Seda's response came through Reyne's earpiece.

"All right, everyone," Critch said. "Check your earpieces to make sure you're reading me. Remember that these earpieces are programmed so that transmissions go out to everyone wearing them. That means keep chatter to a minimum. Make sure you have your gas masks. I don't need any of you falling asleep on the job."

"Set your weapons to 'stun'," Reyne added. "We don't want to kill any prisoners."

"Unless they intend to kill you. Then, by all means, kill them," Critch said.

Reyne frowned at his fellow captain, but Critch was looking out the window. His body was taut with tension, and Reyne knew his compatriot was already back inside the Citadel. Reyne became worried. If a week inside that prison haunted a man like Critch, what kinds of mental states would the other prisoners be in?

The vehicle stopped and they all stepped out, wearing the black torrent fatigues Seda had provided. In the dark, they could nearly pass as dromadiers, who wore blue suits.

Reyne's team was composed of Sixx, Boden, and Maddox—a member of Critch's crew. Critch's team included Birk, Nat, and Grundy—all from his crew.

He noticed a scanner off to their right, and its red eye ran over each vest in quick succession. A second later, an automated voice said, "Welcome to the Citadel. For your safety, wear your vest at all times. Should you need support or directions, please proceed to the nearest terminal."

From where they stood in the receiving bay, there was a single large door straight ahead. Birk and Nat moved around the back of the vehicle they'd come in and lifted out a large metal box.

"Make sure it's good and grounded," Critch ordered. "We don't want to risk frying it."

"We've got it, captain," Nat said.

When the pair rejoined their group, both teams moved toward the door, which opened when they drew near. Once through, Sixx swung off his satchel and pulled out a handful of silver orbs.

"Hello. We weren't expecting company tonight."

Reyne looked up to see a man heading down the steps toward them. He was wearing civilian clothes and had pale skin, as if he hadn't been outside in months.

Alex, from Critch's crew, stepped forward. "We were assigned to run audits on your systems."

The man leaned against the railing. "I don't understand. We passed the audit last month. Why another one so soon?"

Alex shrugged. "Who knows what's going on. All I know is our workload has tripled all of a sudden with random audits. You know the CUF. If there's one thing they're good at, it's red tape."